Latch actuating means



Aug. 31, 1965 B. D. PRIESTMAN LATCH ACTUATING MEANS Filed June 24, 1963 A TORNEY United States Patent 3,203,721 LATCH ACTUATING MEANS Bewley D. Priestman, Grosse Pointe, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,878 Claims. (Cl. 292336.3)

This invention relates to latch actuating means and more particularly to vehicle body door latch actuating means.

It is common to provide shiftable actuating rods for operatively connecting inside remote operating means to release members of vehicle body door latches. In the event of a collision or otherwise, it is possible that deformation of the body may change the normal distance between the operating means and the door latch and force the actuating rod to release the door latch. It is also possible that the actuating rod may become deformed in a manner shortening the end-to-end distance thereof so that the door latch will be released.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention K to provide latch actuating means which will accommodate changes in the normal distance between the door latch and an operating means therefor, or deformation in the latch actuating means, without release of the door latch.

In carrying out the object of the invention there is provided a first shiftable member connected to the remote operating means, a second shiftable member connected to a release member of the door latch, a connecting member connected to the first shiftable member and to the second shiftable member, and means pivotally mounting the connecting member on the body. The mounting means of the connecting member are removable relative to the body upon movement of the door latch and handle relative to each other to permit movement of the connecting member and the first and the second shiftable members therewith relative to the body independently of any movement of the handle or latch release member.

This and other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary partially broken away elevational view of a vehicle body embodying latch actuating means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG URE 1 showing the latch actuating means in a normal position; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the latch actuating means in a position compensating for deformation of the vehicle body.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body 10 includes a door 12 of conventional structure swingably mounted adjacent its forward edge 14 for movement between a closed position, as shown, and an open position, not shown. Door 12 is provided adjacent its rearward edge 16 with a door latch 18 having a bolt adapted to engage a striker mounted on the body pillar 20 to hold the door in closed position. Door latch 18 includes a release member 22 for releasing the bolt to permit movement of door 12 to open position. Reference may be had to US. Patent No. 2,796,276 which issued June 18, 1957 to I. D. Leslie for a more complete description of a suitable latch. An outside handle 23 is provided to operate the door latch from outside the body, and latch actuating means 24 according to this invention are provided to operate release member 22 from inside the body.

The latch actuating means 24 includes an inside remote operating handle 26 rotatably mounted on the inner panel of door 12, a crank 28 non-rotatably mounted on 3,203,721 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 ice the shaft of the handle, and a first shiftable actuating rod 30 pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to crank 28 and pivotally connected adjacent the other end thereof to one end of a link member 32. The other end of link 32 is pivotally connected to one end of a second shiftable actuating rod 34, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the latch release member 22.

Link 32 is pivotally mounted at 35 intermediate its ends on an elongated mounting lever 36 which is swingably mounted adjacent its upper end at 37 on the inner panel of door 12. A locating rod 38 is connected adjacent one end thereof to the lower end of lever 36 and connected adjacent the other end thereof to the frame of door latch 18 to hold lever 36 in predetermined relationship with the door latch.

In normal operation, clockwise rotation of handle 26 will shift rod 30 to the right to swing link 32 clockwise about pivot 35 to thereby shift rod 34 to the left and rotate release member 22 clockwise to release the door latch. Conventional handle return spring means, not shown, are provided between the inner panel and handle 26 to return the handle and actuating rods to the normal position of FIGURE 2 upon release of the handle.

In the event of a collision, or otherwise, deformation of the body or door 12 or both may change the normal distance between the door latch 18 and the handle 26. For example, assume latch 18 and handle 26 move apart over the distance 2 in FIGURE 3. The rod 38 moves with the latch to swing lever 36 counterclockwise about the pivot 37 and in turn moves the pivotal axis 35 of link 32 therewith away from handle 26. Since the handle return spring means resists clockwise movement of the handle and movement of rod 30 to the right, link 32 pivots relative to rod 30 as it concurrently swings counterclockwise about pivot 35 such that a longitudinal separation over a distance z of the link-connected ends of rods 30 and 34 results. In this manner, compensation for the longitudinal separation of the handle and door latch freely takes place intermediate the handle-connected end of rod 30 and the release member-connected end of rod 34 independently of movement of release member 22.

Should door 10 be deformed longitudinally of the body in a manner moving handle 26 and door latch 18 closer together, rod 38 will move with the door latch and swing lever 36 clockwise about pivot 37 to move the pivotal axis 35 of link 32 to the left. Since handle 26 is located against counterclockwise rotation by conventional stop means or otherwise, link 32 will swing clockwise about the upper connection thereof with rod 30, and will concurrently pivot clockwise about pin 35 such that the linkconnected ends of rods 30 and 34 move relative to each other to accommodate the drawing together of the handle and door latch and to prevent movement of release member 22.

In the event that the collision forces act directly upon rods 34 and 38 in a manner shortening the end-to-end distances thereof, lever 36 will swing counterclockwise about pivot 37 and link 32 will swing counterclockwise about pivot 35 to accommodate the shortening of rod 34 and prevent movement of release member 22.

Thus new and improved latch actuating means are provided.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle body including a door latch having a movable release member, latch actuating means, comprising, movable operating means mounted on said body, a first shiftable member connected to said operating means, a second shiftable member connected to said latch release member, means connecting said first memher to said second member for movement of said second member and said release member in response to movement of said first member by said operating means, and means mounting said connecting means on said body for movement of said connecting means, said first member and said second member independently of movement of said operating means and said latch release member.

2. In a vehicle body including a door latch having a movable release member, latch actuating means, comprising, movable operating means mounted on said body, a first shiftable member connected to said operating means, a second shiftable member connected to said latch release member, a connecting member interconnecting said first member and said second member, means mounting said connecting member on said body for com bined swinging movement and bodily movement relative thereto, said connecting member being swingable in response to movement of said first member by said operating means to move said second member and said latch release member to actuate said door latch, said connecting means being bodily movable for movement of said connecting member, said first member and said second member independently of movement of said operating means and said latch release member.

3. In a vehicle body including a door latch having a movable release member, latch actuating means, comprising, an operating handle movably mounted on said body, a first shiftable member connected to said operating handle, a second shiftable member connected to said latch release member, a connecting member interconnecting said first member and said second member, means movably mounted on said body mounting said connecting member on said body for combined swinging movement and bodily movement of said connecting member relative to said body, said connecting member being swingable in response to movement of said first member by said operating handle to move said second member and said latch release member to actuate said door latch, said mounting means being movable relative to said body upon movement of said operating handle and said door latch relative to each other for movement of said connecting member, said first member and said second member independently of movement of said operating handle and said latch release member.

4. In a vehicle body including a door latch having a movable release member, latch actuating means, comprising, an operating handle movably mounted on said body, a first shiftable mmber connected adjacent one end thereof to said operating handle, a second shiftable mem ber connected adjacent one end thereof to said latch release member, a mounting member, means mounting said mounting member adjacent one end thereof on said body for swinging movement relative thereto, a link member connected adjacent one end thereof to the other end of said first member and connected adjacent the other end thereof to the other end of said second member, means pivotally mounting said link member intermediate the ends thereof on said mounting member for movement relative thereto and to said body, said link member being movable in response to movement of said operating handle and said first member to move said second member and said latch release member to actuate said door latch, said mounting member being swingable relative to said body upon movement of said door latch and said operating handle relative to each other to move said link member, said first member and said second member relative to said body independently of movement of said operating handle and said latch release member relative to said body.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 and further including means connecting said door latch and said mounting member to move said mounting member relative to said operating handle upon movement of said door latch relative to said operating handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,241,872 5/41 Van Note.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Examiner. 

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY INCLUDING A DOOR LATCH HAVING A MOVABLE RELEASE MEMBER, LATCH ACTUATING MEANS, COMPRISING, MOVABLE OPERATING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BODY, A FIRST SHIFTABLE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID OPERATING MEANS, A SECOND SHIFTABLE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH RELEASE MEMBER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST MEMBER TO SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND MEMBER AND SAID RELEASE MEMBER IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST MEMBER BY SAID OPERATING MEANS, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID CONNECTING MEANS ON SAID BODY FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS, SAID FIRST MEMBER AND SAID SECOND MEMBER INDEPENDENTLY OF MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING MEANS AND SAID LATCH RELEASE MEMEBER. 